Frequent Vexation

The airlines never cease to amaze me ("The Shifting Rules of Flying Free -- Internal American Airlines Memo Contradicts Wisdom on When Is Best Time to Cash In Miles," April 20).

American charges frequent flyers $50 to cash in miles to fly on a ticket within 21 days of departure, so it's not "free." They vex their best customers with stupid fees like this one where the marginal cost of issuing a free ticket 21 days before departure is exactly $0. Why punish your best customers? This situation is akin to...